OSC Weekly Ratings Wrapup
by David Carlson
August 15, 2019 - Premier Lacrosse League (PLL)
ArenaBowl 32 garners just under 250,000 viewers
The Arena Football League concluded its 2019 season with the ArenaBowl Sunday night on ESPN2. The game was the only ESPN2 program to earn its way onto the Top 150 cable shows for Sunday including a WNBA matchup that preceded it. The WNBA game did not make the Top 150, which would have required at least a .05 demo rating. It was also the top rated "OSC League" event on Sunday night, beating a PLL contest and two MLS games on FS1.
ArenaBowl 32 was the first AFL game on an ESPN network since the 2016 ArenaBowl. The 2017 ArenaBowl aired nationally only on Twitter, and 2018's title contest was shown on CBSSN, which is not Nielsen rated. Comparing the ratings for the recent ArenaBowls on ESPN networks:
| 2019 | ESPN2 | .09/243k |
| 2016 | ESPN | .18/413k |
| 2015 | ESPN | .17/431k |
| 2014 | ESPN | (n/a)/583k |
I had predicted a .10 demo and 300k viewers as an over/under, where over that would have been some level of a good surprise. The demo rating just about came in at my prediction. The total viewers was a bit of a disappointment, but not surprising, given there wasn't any lead-in all season on TV for the AFL. If the league could get even a few playoff weeks on ESPN2 prior to the ArenaBowl, it would likely help the ArenaBowl rating in 2020 Of course, the AFL could also help by adding a few more interested markets with new teams.
Last Week's OSC Leagues Ratings Summary:
| 8/8 | 10p | ESPN2 | WNBA | .04/126k |
| 8/9 | 10p | ESPN2 | CFL | Not in Top 150 |
| 8/10 | 1p | CBS | BIG3 | .12/555k |
| 8/10 | 5pm | FOX | MLS | .15/500k |
| 8/11 | 3p | ESPNews | NWSL | Not in Top 150 |
| 8/11 | 3p | NBATV | WNBA | Not in Top 150 |
| 8/11 | 4p | ESPN | MLS (ATL/NYC) | .10/256k |
| 8/11 | 5p | NBATV | WNBA | Not in Top 150 |
| 8/11 | 6p | ESPN2 | WNBA | Not in Top 150 |
| 8/11 | 7:30p | NBCSN | PLL | .05/154k |
| 8/11 | 7:30p | FS1 | MLS (DC/LAG) | .07/158k |
| 8/11 | 8p | ESPN2 | AFL (Arenabowl 32) | .09/243k |
| 8/11 | 10p | FS1 | MLS (LAFC/NYRB) | .07/153k |
Premier Lacrosse League makes a rare Top 150 Appearance
The PLL has only poked into the Top 150 once before this season, for its All-Star weekend, but this weekend's game on Sunday night made the list at 143rd, with a .05 demo rating and 154,000 viewers, a showing better than the WNBA game on ESPN2, and practically tied with MLS soccer on FS1 in total viewers, although MLS was .02 better in the 18-49 demo rating. Also considering most of the game was against Sunday night baseball and the ArenaBowl on the more prominent ESPN networks, the PLL has to be somewhat encouraged that the ratings could climb up a little as they head towards the playoffs and championship game.
Follow OSC TV and ratings discussion at https://twitter.com/OsctvR.
NOTE: Don't know what the "demo" is? Unsure of why the different ratings numbers don't match up? Read our explanation of TV ratings in our first article here.
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Premier Lacrosse League Stories from August 15, 2019
- OSC Weekly Ratings Wrapup - OSC Original by David Carlson
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